Toy track system



July 31, 1956 FlELDs 2,756,687

TOY TRACK SYSTEM Filed Dec. 28, 1951 INVENTOR. 619%?57" fizzy;

{M1 3. Hm,

United States Patent TOY TRACK SYSTEM Ernest Fields, New York, N. Y. Application December 28, 1951, Serial No. 263,893 10 Claims. (Cl. 104-55) This invention relates to toy track systems, particularly to track systems in which one or more vehicles travel over a track system part of which is concealed.

There are already known toy track systems in which part of the track system is concealed by structures in the form of buildings, tunnelled mountain formations, etc. With layouts of this type, the vehicles travel over a continuous or endless track system which may be level or slanted so that the disapperance and reappearance of a vehicle hold little surprise for a playing child.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved toy track system by which the impression is created that motorless vehicles disappear completely at one end of a track section and then reappear at the other end of the same track section.

Another object of the invention is to provide an arrangement in which the vehicles travel by the force of gravity from one terminal to another terminal in which latter terminal they disappear to be returned to the first terminal over a second concealed track section in a manner highly surprising for a playing child.

At the present time, the problems and possibilities of space travel are much in the thoughts and imagination of adults and children alike. The toy track system according to the present invention seeks to create the illusion of space travel of vehicles for instance, between the earth and the moon. This illusion can be enhanced by giving the one terminal the form of a globe of the earth and the other the form of the waxing or waning .moon and by providing appropriate pictorial representatives on the structure-between the two terminals.

According to a further object of the invention, allied with the preceding one, the aforesaid track system is combined with one or more toy aircraft so mounted and propelled that they travel along an orbit over one of said terminals, preferably above the terminal representing the earth.

Still another more specific object of the invention is to provide common drive means for moving the vehicles into the starting position in one of the terminals and for propelling the aircraft.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter and set forth in the appended claims forming part of the application.

In the accompanying drawing a now preferredembodiment of the invention is shown by way of illustration and not by way of limitation. i

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevational side view of a toy track according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the track system according to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig; 2.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a plan or bottom view of a vehicle designed for travel over the track system according to Figs; 1 and2,and v system Fig. 6 is a side view of Fig. 5.

Broadly speaking, the toy track system according to the invention comprises a terminal which may be visualized as the station earth and a second terminal which may be visualized as the station moon. One or more vehicles travel on a visible track from the earth to the moon and then return over a concealed track to the earth. In addition, one or more aircraft circle over the station eart Referring now to the figures in detail, the toy track system according to the invention comprises a hollow housing, generally designated by 10 and made for instance of pressed sheet metal. This housing has preferably a substantially rectangular cross-section as can best be seen on Fig. 4. The width of the housing is selected according to the width of the vehicles as will be more fully explained hereinafter. The two ends of the housing are formed by rounded end wall portions 11 and 12 respectively, preferably of different radii. The end portion 11 may be visualized as the station earth and the end portion 12 as the station moon, as is indicated by the representation of a waning moon. The housing sections between the two stations may show appropriate heavenly bodies such as stars and planets. It will of course be obvious that the invention is not limited to any particular pictorial representation.

The top side of housing 10 forms an upper visible track 13 which is bordered at both longitudinal edges by raised rims 14 for holding the vehicles on the track. As can best be seen on Fig. 2, track 13 extends from portion 11 to a point somewhat short of portion 12 so that a gap 15 is formed between the end of the track and the inner wall of housing portion 12. Rims 14 are continued at both ends in the lateral walls defining housing portions 11 and 12. Housing portion 12 is circumferentially extended above the level of the adjacent portion of track 13 by a horn-shaped section 12' which also serves to form part of the picture of the moon. The circumferential walls of housing portions 11 and 12 are faired in a lower and concealed track 16 which forms the return track between the two stations, as will be further explained hereinafter.

Track 13 is slanted from housing portion 11 toward housing portion 12. The lower track 16 may be level or be slightly slanted from portion 12 toward portion 11. The housing may be provided with windows 17 for the purpose of showing the vehicle movements taking place within the housing.

The entire housing may rest directly on a base but is preferably supported on feet or standards 18 and 19 respectively. As will be apparent, the feet may be of uneven height for the purpose of obtaining the necessary slant of track 13 rather than providing the said slant by the configuration of the housing.

The drive means for moving the vehicles over the track system and also for propelling the aircraft are disposed within one of the rounded portions 11 and i2, preferably within the larger portion 11. However, it should be understood that it is also possible to dispose the drive means in a different portion of the housing although then more complicated transmission means are required.

The drive means are shown as a conventional spring actuated motor generally designated by 20, the spring (not shown) of which is wound by means of a key and a winding stem 21. The driving shaft 22 of the motor is operatively coupled with the spring shaft by a conventional gear train and drives a drum 23 which is provided on its circumference with a plurality of circumferentially spaced pins or dogs 24. Shaft 22 also drives by a conventional gear'train asecond shaft 25 which protrudes from housing portion 11 andsupportstwo arms 26 and 27. The ends of arms "26 and 27 mount an aircraft 28 such 'as an airplane, 'a space ship, 'a rocket, 'etc. 'One of the arms may also support a counterweight.

The motorless vehicles, generally designated by 30, designed for travel over the track system according to the invention are shown as being substantially symmetrical on 'all sides. Each vehicle is shown as comprising a vehicle body 31 rounded off at both ends. Two pairs of wheels 32 and 33 respectively protrude from both sides of the wheel body, as can best be seen on Fig. 6. As a result, the vehicles can travel in both directions and either of the long sides 'of the vehicles may be the top side or the bottom side. A pin or dog 34 extends approximately from *the 'center of the top and bottom side of the vehicle.

The length 'and 'the height-of the vehicles are so selected in relation to the semi-angularchannel formed between housing portion 1-1 and drum 23 that the vehicles can just pass through said channel and also through the gap 15 between track 13 and housing portion 12, as can best be seen'on Fig. 2.

The operation of a toy track system according to the invention, as hereinbefore described, is as follows:

Let it be assumed that the drum motor is wound and released for operation (it should of course be understood that the motor may be provided with stop means conventional for such motors) and that a vehicle 30 is placed upon track 13 near the right hand or higher end thereof. Then, the vehicle will roll by its own weight toward housing portion 12 until it reaches the end of track 13 and disappears through gap 15. It will continue its travel on the "lower track 16, either by the force of inertia or by a slant of track 16 toward housing portion 11. It should be noted inthis connection that a vehicle when changing from track 13 "to track 16 reverses its position in that what has been the bottom side of the vehicle now be comes the top sideof the vehicle which is made possible by the-aforementioned symmetrical design of the vehicles.

When the vehicle reaches housing portion 11 the respective dog 34 will be engaged by one of the dogs 24 of the rotating drum 23. As a result, the engaged vehicle will be carried upwardly in the channel 35 until it is unloadedupon the right hand end of track 13 whereupon a new cycle of operation begins. It will be noted that the vehicle, while 'being lifted from the lower track to the upper track, again reverses its position as to top and bottom side.

As indicated, several vehicles can be made to run simultaneously over the track system thereby increasing the attractiveness of the toy and also .making it more mysterious when one vehicle after the other seems to disappear in the moon station and then reappears in the earth station.

As previously mentioned, the spring motor 20 also rotates the aircraft 28 so that the same appears to circle over the earth.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to a certain now preferred'example and embodiment of the invention it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a mechanical toy in combination ahousing structure having an elongated upper wall and an elongated lower wall disposed one above the other spaced apart, the outside of said upper wall forming an upper track and the inside of said lower walla lower track, the said housing structure further including two side walls concealing the lower track andtwoend walls for the housing forming connecting guide tracks :extending between respective ends of the upper track and the lower track, 'each of said "end walls being separated from the respective end of the upper track :by a gap providing a vehicle passageway between the upper track and the lower track, and rotary motor driven vehicle lifting means disposed within the housing structure adjacent to one of said end walls and arranged to engage a vehicle and to lift the same from the lower track :to the upper track, the said upper track being slanted downwardly from its end adjacent to the lifting means toward the other end; and motorless wheeled toy vehicle for travel over the said tracks, the said vehicle comprising a vehicle body and two pairs of wheels mounted on said body so that the said wheels protrude from opposite sides of the vehicle body thereby providing for travel of the vehicle over said tracks with either of the said two sides of the vehicle forming the bottom side thereof, and catch means on the vehicle engageable with the lifting means for lifting the vehicle by the said means.

2. A mechanical toy as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said end walls forms approximately a part of a cylindrical wall faired with one of its side edges into the lower track, the curvature of said cylindrical walls facing away from said tracks, the radius of the cylindrical wall adjacent to the lifting means being larger than the radius of the other cylindrical wall.

3. A mechanical toy as defined in claim 1, wherein the said housing structure has a substantially rectangular cross-section, the short sides of the rectangle forming said upper and lower tracks and the long sides forming lateral guides for a vehicle traveling over the lower track.

4. A toy track system for motorless wheeled toy vehicles comprising in combination a housing of substantially rectangular cross-section, the outside of one of the short sides of the housing forming an upper track and the inside of the other short side forming a lower track, the upper track being disposed vertically above the lower track, the longer sides of the housing forming lateral guides for a vehicle traveling over the lower track, two end walls for the housing curved outwardly relative to the tracks,'one side edge of each end wall being faired into the lower track for forming connecting tracks between the respective ends of the upper and lower track, the opposite side edge of each of said end walls being separated from the upper track by a gap, said upper track being downwardly slanted relative to a horizontal plane, and motor driven vehicle lifting means disposed adjacent to the end wall at the higher end of the upper track, the said lifting means comprising a rotary drum member positioned and shaped in relation to the respective end wall so as to provide together with the corresponding gap a first 'vehiclepassageway between the outer periphery of the drum member and the inner wall of the said end wall leading from the lower track to the upper track, and catch means on the outer peripheral wall of said drum member arranged to engage a vehicle on the lower track and to lift the same through the said passageway upon the upper track, a second passageway being formed by the other end wall and the other gap for connecting the respective ends of the upper and lower track.

5. A mechanical toy comprising in combination an elongated housing of substantially rectangular cross section, the outside of one of the short sides of the housing forming an upper track and the inside of the other short side forming a lower track, the upper track being disposed vertically above the lower track, the longer sides of thehousing forminglateral guides for a vehicle traveling over the lower track, two end walls for the housing curved outwardly relative to the tracks, one side edge of each end wall being faired into the lower track for forming connecting tracks between the respective ends of the upper and lower track, the opposite side edge of each of said end walls being separated from the upper track by a gap,*said upper-track being downwardly slanted relative to a horizontal plane, and motor driven vehicle lifting means disposed adjacent to the end wall at the higher end of the upper track, to said lifting means comprising a rotary drum member positioned and shaped in relation to the respective end wall so as to provide together with the corresponding gap a first vehicle passageway between the outer periphery of the drum member and the inner wall of the said end wall leading from the lower track to the upper track, and catch means on the outer peripheral Wall of said drum member arranged to engage a vehicle on the lower track and to lift the same through the said passageway upon the upper track, a second passageway being formed by the other end wall and the other gap for connecting the respective ends of the upper and lower track, and a motorless wheeled toy vehicle comprising a vehicle body with a substantially symmetrical front and rear end, two pairs of wheels mounted on said body so that the said wheels protrude from opposite sides of the body thereby providing for-travel of the vehicle with either of the said two sides forming the bottom side of the vehicle, and catch means protruding from both said opposite sides and engageable with the catch means on said drum member, the said vehicle and the said two passageways being arranged in a spatial relationship to each other so that the wheels of the vehicle are guided by the end wall member forming part of the first passageway when and while the said catch means are in engagement and that the wheels of the vehicle are guided by the end wall member forming part of the second passageway upon passage of the vehicle through the gap of the said second passageway.

6. A mechanical toy as defined in claim 5, wherein the wall member of the second passageway and the adjacent portion of the upper track are positioned in a spatial relationship so that the vehicle reverses its position as to its top and bottom side upon leaving the upper track through the gap of the second passageway.

7. A mechanical toy as defined in claim 5, wherein said catch means on the drum member comprise radially protruding circumferentially spaced dogs, and wherein the catch means on both sides of the vehicle body each comprise a protruding dog, one of said dogs of the drum member and the dog on the respective side of the vehicle body being engageable with each other for lifting a. vehicle through the first passageway.

8. A toy track system as defined in claim 4, wherein standards are secured to the said housing for supporting the latter in a position above the base upon which the standards are placed.

9. A toy track system as defined in claim 4, wherein the said housing and the end walls thereof form a closed structure except for the said gaps, the outer configurations of the end wall members being rounded and shaped to simulate heavenly bodies.

10. A motorless wheeled toy vehicle for travel over a toy track system in upside position and in upside-down position, comprising a vehicle body of substantially uniform shape at its front and rear end, two pairs of wheels mounted on the vehicle body so that the wheels protrude from opposite sides of the vehicle body, whereby either of the said sides is suitable to form the top or bottom side of the vehicle, and catch means in form of a protruding dog provided on both sides of the vehicle body each of said catch means being engageable with drive means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 495,185 Hubley Apr. 11, 1893 970,301 Burke Sept. 13, 1910 1,040,125 Biekford Oct. 1, 1912 1,333,216 Pajeau Mar. 9, 1920 1,599,982 Bauer Sept. 14, 1926 1,931,139 Warren Oct. 17, 1933 

